Celebrating the Women of Lendi Group: Paige Miller

We pride ourselves on the pathways we offer for women to enter the mortgage broking industry and build long, sustainable careers.

With 230 Aussie stores around the country, our retail channel offers brokers the opportunity to live and work in their local community. For experienced brokers looking to reach their full potential, and for newer brokers looking to make their mark, the breadth of our retail network unlocks access to opportunity for brokers in both metropolitan and regional communities. Many of our female brokers enjoy the convenience of being able to build success within their own community, and the greater ease this provides in balancing external commitments.

One broker who has quickly found her way at Aussie, is Paige Miller from Brisbane. Paige joined Aussie in September 2022, following 12 years in banking, where she worked within a branch and covered various responsibilities including customer service, compliance, and lending.

Paige now finds herself at Aussie West End in Brisbane, working alongside franchisee Peter Corta, who after many years as one of Aussie’s highest performing mobile brokers, opened his first store last year. Paige has made an impact in the business from the outset, demonstrating a high level of engagement in the Lendi Group Graduate Program, and leveraging her learnings to lodge an incredible 12 deals in her first four weeks.

As part of our International Women’s Day feature series, we spoke with Paige who shared some great insights on gender equality from the valuable perspective of a new female broker.

What compelled you to consider mortgage broking as a path, and why did you choose Aussie?

My son started pre-school this year, and as this milestone got closer and closer, I realised that my full-time job within a bank was not going to afford me the work-life balance I needed as the mother of a young child and the associated commitments that come with that.

I wanted to find something new where I could still apply my experience, so the transition from banking to broking seemed like a logical one. I sought to join Aussie because it’s a renowned brand and I thought this recognition would be helpful, especially in the early days when I’m getting started. The opportunity to work near my home and learn from Peter who is a highly experienced and successful broker made the West End opportunity a natural fit, and I’m really enjoying my experience so far!

What does International Women’s Day mean to you, and why do you believe it’s important to celebrate it?

I think it’s an important occasion for all organisations to mark, but for our industry specifically, which continues to be male dominated, International Women’s Day serves as a great prompt that there are still barriers and inequities contributing to imbalanced gender representation. The widespread attention and exposure the day generates is a great way of stimulating discourse that pinpoints gaps and identifies steps that can be taken to pave the way forward.

What role do all people play in advancing gender equality in the workplace and beyond?

We all have a duty to call out non-inclusive behaviour and refrain from reinforcing dated biases and stereotypes. This applies to the workplace, the home, and in general society. I am one of four girls, and my father played a huge role in shaping my confidence and independence, because he always taught me to not put restrictions on myself and what I can achieve.

As a woman who is new to broking, why should other women consider becoming brokers?

There are many reasons, but the flexibility is the clincher for me. Since becoming a mortgage broker, I’ve had greater scope to structure my hours and working rhythm around my lifestyle, rather than the other way around. This balance enables me to have clarity and presence in both my home and professional life. ?